The perioperative use of ceftriaxone as infection prophylaxis in neurosurgery

Risk Factors of Postoperative Meningitis in Lateral Ventricular Trigone Meningiomas: A Clinical Analysis of 64 Patients

Purpose

Patients with intraventricular tumors are more susceptible to postoperative meningitis (POM) than other intracranial tumors. In this study, we explored the risk factors of POM in lateral ventricular trigone meningiomas (LVTMs).

Methods

Clinical features of 64 patients with LVTMs were analyzed. Age, gender, body mass index, medical history, intraoperative blood loss (IBL), intraventricular drainage placement, surgical duration, tumor grade, postoperative tumor cavity hemorrhage, and tumor size were included in univariate and multivariate analyses of POM.

Results

Of the 64 patients, 14 patients (21.9%) received diagnosis of POM. The univariate analysis revealed IBL ≥400 mL (odds ratio [OR], 9.012; p = 0.003), tumor size ≥50 cm³ (OR, 3.071; p = 0.080), and surgical duration ≥5 h (OR, 2.970; p = 0.085) were considered possible risk factors for POM (p < 0.10). Tumor size (R = 0.514) and surgical duration (R = 0.624) were significantly correlated with IBL (p < 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, only IBL was found to be an independent risk factor for POM.

Conclusion

The IBL ≥400 mL is independently associated with the increased risk of POM in LVTM patients. Our results demonstrate the importance of controlling IBL for preventing POM, especially in large tumors and long surgeries.

The Importance of Perioperative Prophylaxis with Cefuroxime or Ceftriaxone in the Surgical Site Infections Prevention after Cranial and Spinal Neurosurgical Procedures

Introduction Surgical site infections pose a significant problem in the treatment of neurosurgical procedures, regardless of the application of perioperative prophylaxis with systemic antibiotics. The infection rate in these procedures ranges from less than 1% to above 15%. Different antibiotics and administration regimes have been used in the perioperative prophylaxis so far, and there are numerous comparative studies regarding their efficiency, however, it is generally indicated that the choice thereof should be based on information and local specifics connected to the most probable bacterial causers, which would possibly contaminate the surgical site and cause infection, and moreover, the mandatory compliance with the principles of providing adequate concentration of the drug at the time of the anticipated contamination. Objective Comparing the protective effect of two perioperative prophylactic antibiotic regimes using cefuroxime (second generation cephalosporin) and ceftriaxone (third generation cephalosporin) in the prevention of postoperative surgical site infections after elective and urgent cranial and spinal neurosurgical procedures at the University Clinic for Neurosurgery in Skopje in the period of the first three months of 2016. Design of the study Prospective randomized comparative study. Outcome measures Establishing the clinical outcome represented as prevalence of superficial and deep incision and organ/space postoperative surgical site infections. Material and method We analyzed prospectively 40 patients who received parenteral antibiotic prophylaxis with two antibiotic regimes one hour before the routine neurosurgical cranial and spinal surgical procedures; the patients were randomized in two groups, according to the order of admission and participation in the study, alternately, non-selectively, those persons who fulfilled inclusion criteria were placed in one of the two programmed regimes with cefuroxime in the first, and cefotaxime in the second compared group. All relevant demographic and perioperative patient data were analyzed for both comparative groups, especially the factors known to cause disposition (predisposition) to infections. The prevalence of postoperative infections was evaluated as the primary outcome in both comparative groups, while the secondary outcome was the postoperative infection rate after cranial and spinal neurosurgical procedures at the Neurosurgical clinic in Skopje (having in consideration that so far no data have been published in this context), as well as the prevalence of the risk factors for occurrence of postoperative infections, pre-surgically in patients undergoing neurosurgical interventions locally in the Republic of Macedonia. Results A total of three cases of postoperative infections were registered, two of which classified as superficial incisional, while one case organ/space infection - meningitis (elective intervention) without etiological confirmation. Both comparative groups were statistically similar, without any statistically significant differences in the basic demographic and perioperative characteristics, especially in relation to the incidence of the factors, which, regardless of the antibiotic prophylaxis, show predisposition to postoperative infections. All three cases with infections were registered in the group of persons who received prophylaxis with ceftriaxone preoperatively, with isolated etiological S. aureus agent (elective intervention) in one of them, and methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in another (urgent intervention) with superficial incisional SSI. There was no case of SSI in the group of patients who received cefuroxime before surgery. Conclusion Administration of parenteral antibiotics before surgery reduces the incidence of postoperative infections after neurosurgical procedures, especially in cases with increased risk factors for SSI, such as ACA score of ≥ 2/3, the duration of the surgical intervention ≥ 4 hours, contaminated wound and comorbidities. Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis should be directed to better coverage of the S.aureus arrays.

Ceftriaxone Prophylaxis in Abdominal, Cardiovascular, Thoracic, Orthopaedic, Neurosurgical and General Surgery: A Review of Practice 1996 - 2003

The microbiology, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of ceftriaxone prophylaxis were compared with those of alternative antimicrobial agents in abdominal, cardiovascular, thoracic, orthopaedic, neurosurgical and general surgical procedures published since 1996. Ceftriaxone was compared with cefazolin +/- metronidazole, cefoxitin, cefuroxime, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, cefepime + metronidazole, penicillins, ticarcillin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin/sulbactam, vancomycin and combined clindamycin/gentamicin. Ceftriaxone, used primarily as 'single shot prophylaxis', was at least as clinically effective if not better than the comparative single- and multiple-dose agents over the broad range of surgical procedures. Furthermore the overall cost of ceftriaxone prophylaxis has often been shown to be markedly less than comparators, despite the relatively high acquisition cost of ceftriaxoe, when factors other than acquisition cost were considered. Advances in surgical techniques, the changes in bacterial ecology in hospitals, the spread of bacterial resistance and the substantial increase in the surgical population at risk suggest that third generation cephalosporins, particularly ceftriaxone, should be taken into consideration for surgical prophylaxis.

Postoperative intracranial neurosurgery infection rates in North America versus Europe: a systematic analysis

BACKGROUND

Postoperative wound infection (PWI) after intracranial neurosurgery remains a significant worldwide problem, resulting in substantial morbidity/mortality if not combatted quickly and energetically. Although the danger of PWI is universally recognized, the reported incidence of PWI after intracranial neurosurgery remains variable, ranging from 1% to 8% in published series. The impact of geography on this reported variability has not been previously investigated. To address this issue, published comprehensive intracranial neurosurgery series were reviewed, segregating findings geographically between North American and European series.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the Entrez gateway of the PubMed database. Studies conducted in North America and Europe reporting the incidence of PWI after intracranial neurosurgery were subjected to a thorough review. Data from studies meeting inclusion criteria (minimum of 500 cases with no systematic exclusion of procedures) were categorized by origin (North American/European) and design (retrospective/prospective). Recorded incidences were then compared using chi(2) analysis, and estimates of the relative risk of PWI were calculated.

RESULTS

Seven studies (4 North American, 3 European) met all of the inclusion criteria, with a 2.6-fold greater PWI incidence reported in the European studies (P < .001). The relative risk of PWI for Europeans versus North Americans per operative case was 2.60.

CONCLUSION

PWI after intracranial neurosurgery was nearly 3 times more likely in European versus North American studies. These findings should be considered by clinicians when estimating the risks of intracranial neurosurgery, and highlight the need for future prospective studies to provide evidence-based explanations for these differences.

Postoperative Central Nervous System Infection: Incidence and Associated Factors in 2111 Neurosurgical Procedures

BACKGROUND

Postoperative central nervous system infection (PCNSI) in patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures represents a serious problem that requires immediate attention. PCNSI most commonly manifests as meningitis, subdural empyema, and/or brain abscess. Recent studies (which have included a minimum of 1000 operations) have reported that the incidence of PCNSI after neurosurgical procedures is 5%-7%, and many physicians believe that the true incidence is even higher. To address this issue, we examined the incidence of PCNSI in a sizeable patient population.

METHODS

The medical records and postoperative courses for patients involved in 2111 neurosurgical procedures at our institution during 1991-2005 were reviewed retrospectively to determine the incidence of PCNSI, the identity of offending organisms, and the factors associated with infection.

RESULTS

The median age of patients at the time of surgery was 45 years. Of the 1587 cranial operations, 14 (0.8%) were complicated by PCNSI, whereas none of the 32 peripheral nerve operations resulted in PCNSI. The remaining 492 operative cases involved spinal surgery, of which 2 (0.4%) were complicated by PCNSI. The overall incidence of PCNSI was 0.8% (occurring after 16 of 2111 operations); the incidence of bacterial meningitis was 0.3% (occurring after 4 of 1587 operations), and the incidence of brain abscess was 0.2% (occurring after 3 of 1587 operations). The most common offending organism was Staphylococcus aureus (8 cases; 50% of infections), followed by Propionibacterium acnes (4 cases; 25% of infections). Cerebrospinal fluid leakage, diabetes mellitus, and male sex were not associated with PCNSI (P>.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In one of the largest neurosurgical studies to have investigated PCNSI, the incidence of infection after neurosurgical procedures was <1%--more than 6 times lower than that reported in recent series of comparable numerical size. Cerebrospinal fluid leak, diabetes mellitus, and male sex were not associated with an increased incidence of PCNSI. The results from this study indicate that the true incidence of PCNSI after neurosurgical procedures may be greatly overestimated in the literature and that, in surgical procedures associated with a high risk of infection, prophylaxis for S. aureus and/or P. acnes infection should be of primary concern.

Prescription of prophylactic antibiotics for neurosurgical procedures in teaching hospitals in Iran

BACKGROUND

To assess the appropriateness of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis in neurosurgical procedures, using the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) guideline as reference, 110 patients were prospectively evaluated. Monitoring surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is crucial in ensuring appropriate use of antimicrobial agents in this setting. This will minimize the consequences of antibiotic misuse such as increased drug antibiotic resistance, adverse events, and higher costs to the institution.

METHODS

We recruited 110 consecutive patients undergoing clean neurosurgical treatment in 2 hospitals. Data were collected prospectively from patients' medical records between February 2004 and April 2004. The data collection forms for each patient included hospital name, patient demographics, type of surgery, and type of antimicrobial prophylaxis regimen (drug name, dose, interval, route of administration, number of doses and time administered, and duration of administration).

RESULTS

Discrepancies about antibiotic selection, duration, and start time of prophylaxis were seen between current administration and the ASHP guideline. The direct cost of prophylactic antibiotics for the 110 procedures was 14 times greater than what it would have cost to administer prophylactic antibiotics adhering to the ASHP guideline (US $802 vs US $59; US $7.29 vs US $0.54 per patient, respectively). This is equivalent to US $6.75 of extra costs per procedure and patient.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates the need for interventions to improve the rational use of antibiotic prophylaxis in Iran to prevent the complications of inappropriate administration of antimicrobials and decrease unnecessary costs.

A randomized, double-blind comparison of ampicillin/sulbactam and ceftriaxone in the prevention of surgical-site infections after neurosurgery

BACKGROUND

The use of prophylactic antibiotics has been shown to decrease the rate of surgical-site infections after clean neurosurgical operations, although previous clinical trials have provided no evidence that one antibiotic is superior to another for this purpose.

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to compare the rates of postoperative infectious complications of neurosurgery with prophylactic ceftriaxone and ampicillin/sulbactam, a less-expensive antibiotic.

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing neurosurgery between January and December 1998 were recruited for the study. Those who had an infectious disease for which antibiotics were required, who received antibiotics within 48 hours before surgery, were aged <12 or >85 years, had an indwelling catheter for the monitoring of intracranial pressure, or had a history of allergy to the study drugs were excluded. Before the operation, eligible patients were randomized to either ampicillin/sulbactam 3 g or ceftriaxone 2 g. Surgeons and patients were blinded to treatment assignment. The study drugs were administered by the anesthesiologist as an IV bolus after induction of general anesthesia. All patients were followed for 6 weeks postoperatively. If reoperation was required within 6 weeks of the original operation, the patient received the same antibiotic as during the first surgery, without further randomization.

RESULTS

Over the 1-year study period, 180 consecutive patients undergoing neurosurgical operations were recruited. Surgical-site infection occurred in 2 (2.3%) patients in the ampicillin/sulbactam group and 3 (3.3%) in the ceftriaxone group; nonsurgical-site infection occurred in 25 (28.4%) patients in the ampicillin/sulbactam group and 15 (16.3%) in the ceftriaxone group. The between-group differences were not statistically significant, with the exception of surgical implantation of foreign material, which was performed sig- nificantly more frequently in the ceftriaxone group (P = 0.045). In addition, 2 of 3 surgical-site infections in the ceftriaxone group involved foreign-material implantation; however, if these operations are omitted from the analysis, the difference between treatments remains nonsignificant.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that ampicillin/sulbactam and ceftriaxone are of similar prophylactic efficacy in clean neurosurgical operations. Because the acquisition cost of 2 g ceftriaxone is approximately 3 times greater than that of 3 g ampicillin/sulbactam, the latter may be more cost-effective than the former for neurosurgical prophylaxis; however, other relevant hospital-related costs were not assessed in this study.

Short-term antibiotic prophylaxis for the prevention of wound infection and secondary meningitis in acoustic neuroma surgery: a ten-year experience in a regional hospital

Wound infection and secondary meningitis are important complications for patients undergoing acoustic neuroma surgery. The Authors retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of a short-term protocol utilizing vancomycin and netilmicin. 434 patients underwent acoustic neuroma surgery in the Otorhinolaryngology Division, A.O. Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo, from February 1987 to February 1997. Perioperative short-term prophylaxis was administered with vancomycin plus netilmicin. The utility of the prophylaxis schedule was evaluated on the basis of the occurrence of infectious episodes during the first 10-day follow-up. Only 2 episodes (0.5%) of bacterial meningitis were observed.